There are several strategies that various groups use to gain power in an inter-group conflict situation. Some of these strategies allow co-operation and sharing between groups while other strategies are more competitive and increase the power of one group at the expense of others.
- Contracting: It refers to the negotiation or an agreement between two groups. Each group makes some compromises so that there can be some predictability and stability in their relationships. pot example, contracting occurs between labor and management at the time collective bargaining.
- Co-opting: It occurs when a group gives some of its leadership positions to members of other groups or includes them in its policy-making committees. For example, representatives from financial institutions are included in the Board of Directors of a Company to participate in decision-making activities.
- Forming association: In forming an association, two or more groups cooperate or combine their resources in order to increase their power over other groups. Members of groups co-operate with each other in order to compete more effectively with members of other groups.
- Influencing decision criteria: Groups can also sometimes exert power lo change criteria for decision-making that are selected as the basic for resource distribution.
- Controlling Information: Gaining access to sensitive information and then limiting other group’s access lo it increases the power of” the information-‘ rich group and other subunits.
- Pressure tactics: These are applied to force other to use the most competitive strategy a group can use to gain power. For instance, a union might threaten to strike to pressurize management.
Management reaction to disruptive inter-group conflict can take many different forms. But management usually tries to minimize the conflict indirectly and if this fails, become directly involved.
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